Latch mechanism for silo-doors



F.- A. 'TAYLQR. LATCH MECHANISM FOR SILO DOORS.

- APPLICATION FILED JAN-29,1918.

Patented May 25, 1920.

. and held therein by means of latch mecha-.

FREDERICK A. TAYLOR, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOU'RI.

LATCH MECHANISM FOR SILO-DOORS.

Application filed January 29, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. TAYLQR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Latch Mechanism for Silo-Doors; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to silos and more particularly to an improved means for retaining the doors of a silo firmly and tightly in position; the principal object of the in vention being to construct a cam-latch mech anism that may be adjustably fixed to a silo door, to compensate for irregularities or variations in thicknesses of mortar joints or materials of construction used in the silo and so that proper connection with a 0061)- erating anchor member may be made and whereby the door section to which the device is fixed may be drawn tightly to p0sition to effect an air and weather proof joint.

It is a further object of the invention to so construct the devices that a part thereof may incidentally serve'as ladder steps by which a person may gain accessinto' the silo.

In accomplishing these objects I have the accompanying drawings, wherein FigureIis a perspective View, showing a portion 'of a silo, with door sections located nism constructed according to the present lnvention.

F1g. II is a transverse, sectlonal View of the same on a vertical .linethrough the door sections.

Fig. III is a plan view of one of the latch devices particularly illustrating the step member.

Fig. IV is an enlarged front view of the,

same parts.

Referring more in detail to the draw ings:--

1 designates a portionof a silo of certam construction wherein door latches embodying the present invention are particularly Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1920.

Serial No. 214.303.

adapted for use; the silo here shown being of tile construction and provided at one side with a vertically extending opening 2 wherethrough ensilage may be delivered nto or discharged from the silo, and which 1s normally closed, to retain the ensilage, by a plurality of superimposed door sections 3.

Extending horizontally across the door opening 2 at regularly spaced and convenient intervals, are tie rods 4, the opposite ends of which are embedded and anchored solidly 1n the silo wall so that the rods may serve to tie the sections of the silo wall at opposite sides of the opening substantially together. he bars serve also, as will later be described, as anchor members to which the door latches may be removably attached and on which the step forming portions of the latches may be supported and retained in functional position. v

The sections '3, forming the door which closes the opening 2, are preferably of wooden construction and are slightly greater in width than the opening, and when the doors are in functional position, their vertical edges are located in seats 55 at the inner faces of the walls at the opposite sides of the opening. At their upper and lower horizontal edges the doors are provided respectively with extending tongues 6 and 7 that respectively underlie and overlie similar tongues of adjacent sections to form a closed and effective joint. Each of the sections is also provided on the outer side, along its vertical edges with packing strips 88, of felt or the like, and on the outer face of the tongues 6 with similar strips '9. whereby, when the sections are properly located and latched in position, weather tight joints are effected.

Fixed to each of the door sections 3 is a latch 10 constructed according to the present invention, whereby the sections may be drawn tightly against the wall-seats and locked in closed position. Each of the latches comprises a vertically adjustable bar 11, slidably mounted in spaced brackets or guide ways 1212 that are attached to the section by bolts or other anchor members 13; the bars being provided at their upper ends with threaded shanks 14: and at the lower ends with a plurality of spaced apertures 15 for receiving cotter pins 16, whereby displacement of the bars from the guideways is prevented.

Attached to the upper end of eachof the bars 11 is a horizontal latch plate which incidentally forms a step, as before stated; the said plate-being provided at its rear edge, with a centrally depending ear 18havving an aperture 19 therethrough for receiving the outwardly extending, threaded shank 14 at the upper end of the barll, the

ear being retained byfmeans of a nut 20 that" is adjustable on the shank andis adapted to between-which a cam lever 23 mounted on a; 7 cross pin 24- is pivotally mounted, the said lever comprising a cam head. 25 adapted,

when the free end of the lever is, moved downwardly, to engage and tighten against the outer edge; of the adjacent bar l,to move the latch plate outwardly, and'through its connection with the bar 11, tighten the door section'to which the bar is attached, against the seats.

It is apparent that by'providin-g the vertical adjustment of the bars 11 by the slidable mounting in the brackets 12-12, the

latches may bemoved vertically to permit proper attachment with the cross rods 4, that by a proper adjustment or" the nuts 20, inwardly or outwardly on the shanks 14;, a desirable tightening effect of the door sections againsttheir seatsmay be obtained.

" ith the devices so constructed and' mounted onv the door sections, inusing the same, the bottom door is first located in proper position in the opening 2. The rod 11 fixed thereto is then moved vertically in the brackets-12'12 so that'the latch'plate 14 thereon will rest horizontally on the upper edge ofa cross rod 4. ,With the step in this "position the camlever; is moved downwardly totighten the cam head against the bar 4: to'draw the latch outwardly,which V by its. connection with the rod 11, draws the door section tightly againstits; seats; it being apparent that by proper adjustment of the nut 20 on the shank 14; any incidental variation in the location or. spacing of the anchor bar maybe met and aproper tension 2 may be placed onthedoor, V I

7 After the first section is properly placed,

height" of the section.

until the silo is filled.

so that theslatches-may be freed therefrom and the doorsection moved inwardly from j this character a substantial and efi ective device is provided for retainingthe door sections'in place. The. device may also be easily applied and operated andfnot only 'ensilageis delivered intothe silo upto the 1 Another section is then, added andrmore ensilage delivered into; the silo.

This operation being repeated To remove the sections, it'is only necessaryto. loosen the lever o t e bar/i provides means for holding thedoorsec tions in" place but also serves effectively as; a 7

step. for facilitatnig access to the, silo.

I Having thus described my inventiom'what I claim as new therein. and desire to. secure by- Letters-Patent, is i 1. In combination, a silo. provided with a door opening, a; rod carried by the silo and extending acrossthe door'opening, a door, a vertical rod carriedby the door and having a right angularly projecting end, a latch plate having a flanges-n itsinner end through which the rightangularly projectend of the rodeX-tends, means for secur= ing the plate to the verticalxrod, depending bearings on the under side of the plate, the first named rod: being receivable Between the bearings and the flange, and a cam jonr naled in the bearings for engagementwith I i the last named rod. 7 Y

2., The combination with a silo provided with a door opening and rods extending across the door opening of a door member in the opening having a vertically adjust able rod provided with an outwardly pro.- .jecti ng end-, a horizontalplate having afde:

pending flange engaging the outwardly pro.- jec-ting end: oftherod, means for securing the flange to the rod, depending bearings carried by the plate, andacamcarried' by r the bearings for; engagement .with the rod extending acrossthe door-opening.

In testimony whereof I aihxmy? signature.

FREDERICK A. T LOR; 

